Gambling - Part 3
By Allan E. McNabb

Gambling is “playing a game of chance for stakes” (Webster).  It involves the “betting of money or valuables on, and often participation in, games of chance” (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001).

Last week we explored six sins involved in gambling: covetousness, greed, love of money, unneighborly behavior, lust, and licentiousness.  We concluded that gambling is evil, and that we should abstain from it (1 Th. 5:22).

In this article, we explore the fruits of gambling.

Sin’s Fruit
In Matthew 7, Jesus sets forth a principle that He applies to false prophets.

“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit” (Matt. 7:17-18).

In other words, if something is sinful, it bears bad fruit.  And if something is good, it bears good fruit.

Jesus applies this principle to false prophets, teaching the disciples to distinguish them from God’s prophets by examining their fruits.  He concludes by saying, “So then, you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20).

Examine the Fruits of Gambling
Jesus and the apostles use this principle many times, to teach us about sin.  Now, let’s use it further to investigate the sinfulness of gambling.

If gambling is sinful, it will exhibit bad fruit.  But if it is righteous and holy, it will exhibit good fruit.

Lottery Winners’ Lives Are Worse
Search the Internet and you’ll find numerous stories of lottery winners whose lives are worse after winning the lottery.  And if you read stories regarding the rate of bankruptcies for lottery winners, you’ll find that about one-third of them file for bankruptcy.

“8 Lottery Winners Who Lost Their Millions,” a MSN Money story, reveals some of gambling’s bad fruit.

The subtitle summarizes the story, “Having piles of cash only compounds problems for some people.  Here are sad tales of foolishness, hit men, greedy relatives and dreams dashed.”

As advertised, the story tells about people whose lives are worse after winning the lottery, rather than better.

William “Bud” Post, who won $16.2 million, and now lives on Social Security, said,  “I wish it never happened.  It was totally a nightmare.”

Among others, the MSN story also tells of an unnamed family that won $4.2 million.  The man and woman are now divorced; the woman lives in a small house, and the man lives with children.  Their financial advisor said, “It was not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”

The fruits of gambling reflect what we’ve learned from the Bible.  Gambling is a sin.

Health Problems and Higher Suicide Rate Among Gamblers
A number of studies link suicide to gambling.

CTV.ca, a Canadian media company, ran a story February 12, 2008, titled “Loto-Quebec Stats Show Suicides Linked To Gambling.”  Loto-Quebec admitted that two suicides were “directly related to gambling in a casino and six attempted suicides and numerous heart attacks as well” (CTV.ca).

Information about the negative effects of gambling is not new.  The New York Times ran a story December 16, 1997, titled, “Suicide Rate Higher in 3 Gambling Cities, Study Says.”  It tells about a study by Dr. David Phillips who “examined death certificates in major gaming cities in the United States -- Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Nev., and Reno -- and found that suicide rates were up to four times higher than in comparably sized cities where gambling is not legal.”

Summary
The stories are endless about people who ruined their lives by gambling, resulting in suicide, divorce, broken homes, poverty, bad health, and more.

Although we have compassion for such people, this helps us understand the sinfulness of gambling, realizing it bears bad fruit.

Jesus says, “So then, you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20).  We know gambling is a sin, not only because it involves numerous sinful behaviors, but also because of its fruit.